Ladder.



No. 790,807. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905 R. SOHILLING. v

LADDER.

dammm 61 wwwwww l Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SCHILLING, OF WARSAW, ILLINOIS.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,807, dated May 23,1905.

ppli filed December 13, 1904. Serial No. 236,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT SGHILLING, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Warsaw, in the county of Hancock and State ofIllinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Ladders; and Ideclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ladder with prop b raised. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same with prop b lowered. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the ladder with prop b reversed and raised. Fig. &is a detail view of one end of prop b. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of the upper part of the ladder with prop b lowered.

The invention relates to adjustable stepladders; and it consists in thenovel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter adesignates the main portion or body of the step-ladder, and b the propportion or brace portion, which can be adjusted either at an angle tothe main portion, so that its ends rest on the ground or floor in themanner of an ordinary step-ladder,

or in line with the main portion to provide a longer ladder, its endsthen resting against the wall.

The main portion of the ladder consists of the sides 0 and steps (Z. Theupper step or top 0 is usually made in two pieces, one of which issecured to the upper ends of the sides, while the other, or hinged piecef, extends over the sloping bearing edges g at the rear of the upperends of the sides. The hinge edge of the fixed portion of the top is inthe plane of these sloping bearing edges, as is also that of the hingedportion f, whether it be closed down or turned back, so that the upperend portion of this part of the ladder has a general slope. When theportion f is closed down, it is designed to be secured in position bymeans of the hooks It. These books are connected to the transversebracecheeks 70, which are secured to the upper ends of the sides 0 justbelow the top 0 and pro ject rearward outside the lateral bars m of thebrace portion Z) of the ladder. At their rear end portions thesebracing-cheeks are provided with inward-projecting guide-studs n, whichare placed at the proper distance from the sloping bearing edges g toadmit the lateral bars 177;, which when reversed slide between suchedges and studs and are braced in position thereby. These studs 91/ alsolimit the outward movement of adjustable portion 5 when it is in theposition of Fig. 2' with its lower end resting on the ground.

The lateral bars m are longitudinally slotted, as indicated at p, andare provided with the steps q. Their upper ends are sloped in angularform, as indicated at 2 and 3, inorder that these ends shall fit neatlyunder the hinged portion of the top a when the latter is closed down andsecured by the hooks it.

In the middle of the projecting portion of each bracing-cheek 7c isprovided a perforation which is designed to receive a bolt 8, the innerend of which is attached to a bearingblock at, which is sliding] yseated in the longitudinal slot of the lateral bar m when the portion I)of the ladder is being adjusted longitudinally, but which is turnedcrosswise in engagement with the inner sides of bars 072 when thisportion 6 is to be clamped in adjusted position.

The thumb-nut o is adjusted upon the bolt 8 to i admit of endwisemovement of bearing-block or turn-button zffor this purpose. To theouter end of the bolt 8 is secured a thumbnut n. These blocks t formhearings on which the brace portion 6 of the ladder maybe adjusted up ordown, its lateral bars sliding on the blocks in the movement. WVhen thethumb-nut on the bolt of the block is tightened, the lateral bars aredesigned to be held securely in adjusted position. The fastening isreinforced by means of the tie-hooks '10, which are pivoted to the lowerend portions of the lateral bars m on the outside and are designed toextend over and around the edges of the sides a of the body of thestep-ladder, engaging one of its steps.

The sloping bracing edges g at the upper ends of the sides a in rearmeet the longitudinal rear edges of said sides in an angular manner",forming the corners .2, which are opposite and in line with the inwardstuds n of the bracing-cheeks.

When the ladder is to be used as an ordinary step-ladder, the movableorbrace portion 6 is drawn down until the ends of its lateral bars arelevel with the top of the main portion,

and secured by the hooks It. In this position the brace portion 6 formsan angle with the main portion a of the ladder and supports it from thefloor orground. If it be desired to support the ladder from a step orporch platform'some-what higher than the ground, the hinged portion ofthe top a is turned'back and the movable portion 6 of the ladderadjusted upward in the space vacated by said movable section f of thetopstep 0 along the bearinginclines g of the main portion of the ladderuntil the lower ends of the lateral bars'm are inproper position, whenthe parts are secured'by means of the thumb-nuts and bear-- ing-blocks.

In order to use the ladder as a long ladder in inclined positionagainsta wall, the movable portion 7) is brought against the rear ofsection of the top step, and fastening devices for securing said partsin adjusted position, substantially as specified.

2. A ladder having a main stepped portion, an adjustable steppedportion, means for securing the parts in adjusted position, and apivoted hooked step-engaging fastening device carried by said adjustableportion, substantially as specified. the hinged part of which is thenclosed down 3'. A ladder having a main stepped portion provided withupper sloping bearing edges,

a top step havingv a hinged section having its hinge edge in linewithsaid sloping bearing edges, an adjustable stepped portion, and

' means for securing the same in adjusted position, substantially asspecified.

4. A ladder having-a main stepped portion provided with cheek-pieces, anadjustablesteppedportion fitting within said cheek-pieces and havinglongitudinally-slotted' sides, said eheek-pieees extending out beyondsaid ad justable'stepped portion and being provided with bracing'gui'deand limiting studsth-erefor, and an endwise-extensible clamp-ing devicefor said ad justable'po'rtion, substantially as specified.

5. A ladder consisting'of tl'ie'mainstepped portion having the I studdedbrace --cheeks, and beveled upper end portion, the adjustable steppedportion having the longitudinally slotted sides, and fasteningbearing-blocks en- 7 gaging said sides, the hinged top section anditsfastening-hooks, substantially as specified. In testimony whereof Iafl i x my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT SCHILLING.

Witnesses: Q EDW. GRIMPE, J. M. DOVE, Jr.

